Fresh off her first-ever UK tour with Rebecca Ferguson, Polly Havelock catches up with London’s most exciting new soul-pop singer Reigns – and talks tour life highs and whiplash moments, the inspiration behind her most infectious new track to date, and why her upcoming music video is all about pride and unapologetic self-love – with a healthy dose of “boy bye” energy.
Hey Reigns, how are you?
I’m great! It’s been a busy 2026 so far, and I’m loving every second of it
You’ve just been on tour with Rebecca Ferguson – could you tell us how it went and what you learned from the experience?
Where do I start?! It was such an amazing experience. Rebecca is an incredible vocalist, so getting the chance to share a stage with her was a real honour. As an independent artist, being able to perform my own songs acoustically in some amazing venues and travel doing what I love was pretty surreal!
It was my first time touring, so I learned loads. Every audience brought a different energy, and it taught me how to really live in the moment and enjoy each show for what it was. It’s definitely made me even more excited for the next chapter
Did you have a favourite show, venue, or city to perform in, and why?
If I’m honest, every venue had its own magic. The first show in Lytham St Annes was all adrenaline and excitement, and then the next day in Leeds I actually shot two music videos and then straight to the most WOW venue, which just made it all seem so surreal and then to finish in Newcastle knowing how amazing the shows were and grateful I was – the perfect finishing night
What’s your tour survival guide, Reigns style?
A good playlist or podcast is essential! After that, it’s coffee, snacks, and embracing the fact that your life can go from a glamorous theatre stage to eating a sandwich in a carpark in your fav trackie
What does a Reigns live show look like? We’re sure there’s plenty of powerhouse, soulful vocals involved…
My headline shows with my incredible band are all about the energy and story. I wanna take my fans on a journey. We dance, feel empowered, cry and everything in between. Big tunes with big feelings, and all I aim for is to perform my songs and hopefully connect with every rebel in the room
Following your recent singles, ‘Closer Than Your Shadow’ and ‘Everybody Falls Apart Sometimes’, you’re back soon with a new track that feels like your most infectious and bold release to date. Can you walk us through (or run us through!) the inspiration behind it!
The inspiration came from that split second when you realise the future you’ve been imagining with someone might not be the future you actually want.. It’s about listening to that inner voice, choosing yourself, and making a run for it before you’re in too deep! There may or may not be a little runaway-bride energy in there somewhere…
If you could describe your next song in just a few words, what would they be?
Bold, sassy, empowering. BOY BYE!
The music video is a huge part of this release, with an open call for drag queens across the UK to take part. How did it go – and was it as fun and uplifting as you imagined?
It was everything and MORE. Without giving too much away… the drag queens were nothing short of iconic. Glamorous, attitude, girl power – literally the embodiment of the song. The music video is going to be epic!
As well as encouraging self-empowerment and self-love, as many of your songs do, do you hope the video will also shine a light on the LGBTQIA+ community?
100%!! I’m so proud to have sung the official Pride Anthem of 2017, and the support I received was amazing. Anything I can do to highlight the cause and show my support – I’m there with bells on. This song just means the world because I know just from the reaction from my rebels that are from the LGBTQIA+ community – they’re relating to it and loving it, and this is just a small part I can play to give something back
From millions of TikTok views to sell-out shows, the Reigns train is really taking off in 2026. What are you most looking forward to next this year?
So much to look forward to; I honestly think this is my most exciting year yet. I’ve got some more big support tours coming later in the year, including The Wanted 2.0, lots more new music, all leading up to the release of my DEBUT ALBUM Love Languages in November. Hopefully a couple of headline shows in the mix too. Basically.. doing what I love as much as I can!
With a new single and a fabulous new video on the horizon, is this an indication that more music is on the way? What can listeners expect?
Yes, yes, and YES. So much more music is coming – my listeners can expect more empowerment, soul powerhouse vibes. More tunes they can belt out with me at the shows and.. a whole album!
Listen To Reigns:
